For My Sins
by rose of england
Summary: AU, At World's End.  Norrington escapes the Dutchman with Elizabeth


Yep, I'm really into the AUs where Norrington is concerned. Standard disclaimer, etc.

* * *

"Come with me." James spoke urgently, glancing around to be sure they were alone.

_"Quickly."_ He said in a more exasperated tone when Elizabeth and her crew failed to move. As they filed swiftly past, Elizabeth, still beautiful to his eyes despite her disarray, moved to the doorway of the cell.

"What are you doing?" She asked, eyes hard. She didn't trust him, and she was quite right not to, especially after what he'd done.

"Choosing a side." He replied firmly, echoing her earlier words. She continued to look at him before finally nodding and following her crew.

James, with one last glance around the deck, locked the cell door and left, striding quickly after her.

- - - - - -

"It's too late to earn my forgiveness." Elizabeth's tone was steely, her expression steady, as they stood at the rail of the _Dutchman._

James didn't blame her for her words - he wouldn't forgive himself were he in Elizabeth's position, and he'd hardly been close to his own father.

He gripped her arms. "Believe me Elizabeth, I had nothing to do with what happened to your father." He swallowed, looked away. "But that does not absolve me of my other sins."

"Come with us." She spoke suddenly into the darkness, evidently having just come to the decision, though it could hardly have been difficult with the little time she had to think.

James' head snapped back to her. After all this, what he'd done and not done, she wanted him to go with her? He could hardly fathom what caused her to say it.

Despite himself, he considered it. Weighed his options, and decided in which route his conscience would finally be clear.

He would be leaving with pirates, true, but he'd sailed with the like before and despised himself for it; now he almost felt as though it were not only the lesser of two evils, but necessary for the health of his soul. He had to admit, it hadn't entered into his head what he'd do after he'd freed Elizabeth, let alone what he would do in the long term.

Looking at Elizabeth, James could see the indecision within her, whether to stay and try to persuade him further or to continue on, make quick her escape along with the crew she had inherited from Sao Feng.

James stared into the face of the woman he once loved, still loved in fact, and for the first time realised how important she'd been in his life.

"Our destinies have been entwined since the day we met, Elizabeth. Entwined but never joined." _As I would have wished, once upon a time,_ went his unspoken words. Standing as close as they were, James didn't expect Elizabeth to see anything in it, but she leaned in towards him, kissing him lightly on the lips, to which he briefly responded.

They broke apart, James feeling a slight twinge of guilt under all the rest weighing him down for taking advantage of the absence of another man.

"I'm sorry, James." She said, and he truly believed she was. "I hope you meet someone someday who loves you as much as you love them, but I hope you understand we would never have worked together." He nodded, knowing the truth of it.

"Go! I'll follow." He instructed, breaking the moment. He had to get her off this cursed ship, save at least someone, even if he couldn't save himself. Even if he didn't follow, he could easily plead ignorance of their escape. He was the Admiral after all. But his guilt still ruled him, and his earlier resolve was beginning to weaken. He began to consider that he should be staying here, if only as a self-inflicted punishment for his crimes.

"You're lying." Elizabeth accused, searching his face. Damn, she knew him too well. "You may have committed sins, James but you don't have to pay for them here. Come with us." He made to pull out his pistol in readiness to cut the rope, but this time it was she who gripped his arm. "Come with me."

He would have liked to think she meant more than just to escape the choice he'd made for himself, but he knew better. There was only one man she loved, and he had never been it.

He glanced up and around the stern of the ship. There was still no alarm raised, still it looked like no one knew. He put the pistol back in his belt, removed his hat, wig and coat and dropped them to the deck.

"If you leave them there, they'll know." Elizabeth said, watching him.

He nodded. "Yes." Was all he said. If and when they were caught, he wasn't having anyone punished for his decisions this time. He was leaving of his own accord, with no one to be blamed for it. Understanding dawned in Elizabeth's eyes, but she said nothing.

He helped her up to one rope, reaching himself for the next. "Well, we better get going."

James Norrington swung himself up onto the _Empress'_ tow ropes, once again leaving behind the life he knew.


End file.
